The move was a surprise on two fronts, as the Patriots are currently playoff contenders and don’t have an insurance policy beyond Garoppolo behind starter Tom Brady.

In addition, the 49ers just fell to 0-8 and have been through two passers under center already. San Francisco released veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer in a corresponding move.

Why Now?

With the 2017 NFL trade deadline just around the corner, time was running out for New England to deal their famous backup.

Jimmy Garoppolo had risen to stardom as the man behind Tom Brady, especially after looking like a polished product during two starts in 2016, as well as during preseason play.

Some speculated that the man known as Jimmy G could eventually supplant the now 40-year old Brady, but with the future Hall of Famer not going anywhere anytime soon, the writing was on the wall for a deal to get done.

The Patriots wouldn’t have minded hanging on to the talented young passer, but the franchise has been notorious for drafting and flipping young quarterbacks.

With the clock running down on the ability to do so with Garoppolo, Bill Belichick and co. landed a high draft pick and avoided letting their prized trade chip leave for nothing in free agency.

The timing is right for New England, but it’s a little odd for the 49ers. San Francisco is one of the worst teams in the league at 0-8 and was headed toward picking atop the 2018 NFL Draft.

There the Niners could have their choice of the top college quarterbacks, with home grown USC product Sam Darnold arguably leading the way. San Francisco was also constantly tied to Washington Redskins starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, who could enter free agency this offseason.

With this move, the Brian Hoyer expriment dies and the C.J. Beathard hype will quickly cool down. Instead, Garoppolo now figures to be the future of the Niners under center, provided they can get him to agree to a long-term contract.

Big Impact

The Jimmy Garoppolo trade could actually have a huge impact across the NFL. For one, the second he gets under center, the 49ers could become a more competitive team.

Kyle Shanahan has actually orchestrated a solid offense during his time with the team, but he simply hasn’t had a quarterback gifted enough to execute it. Garoppolo could succeed where Hoyer and Beathard failed, potentially making the Niners a fun upset bet in weeks to come.

This move also shakes up the top of the 2018 NFL Draft. Should the Niners still find their way to the #1 pick, they are now extremely unlikely to use it on a franchise passer.

Instead, the 49ers could just pick the best overall player that isn’t a quarterback, or they can dangle the pick and ultimately trade down.

This deal could also be a death blow to the Patriots, should an aging Tom Brady suffer a serious injury. That hasn’t happened in years and is obviously a hypothetical situation, but at 40 years old, Brady is more susceptible to injury with each passing week.

With Garoppolo on the move to the Bay Area, the Patriots no longer have a reliable fallback option. New England currently leads the way with the top Super Bowl 52 odds per Bovada (+350), but the second Brady goes down, that would surely change.

Garoppolo being traded to the Niners also shakes up the quarterback free agency market next season. Jimmy G will be off the market and with San Francisco no longer a destination for other available passers, those Kirk Cousins landing spot wagers could be turned on their back.

Does that mean Cousins is a lock to return to the Redskins, or could teams like the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars or others rise up and fight for his services?

Overall, this is a massive move for both sides and one that branches out into other NFL wagers that bettors have already placed or will look to place in the near future.

We will quickly be forced to consider betting in favor of the 49ers on a weekly basis for the rest of the 2017 season, San Francisco could vie for the playoffs or the NFC West crown as quickly as next season and the draft and free agency could be completely shaken to their core.

Suffice to say, the Jimmy Garoppolo trade was heard with a bang on Monday night and we haven’t even begun to feel it’s lasting impact.